Garbage-receptacle container.



PATENTED OCT. 22, 1907.

C. H. STEPHENSON.

GARBAGE RECEPTAGLE CONTAINER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED OCT. 22, 1907.

, c. H. STEPHENSON. GARBAGE RBGEPTAGLE CONTAINER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. STEPHENSON, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

GARBAGE-RECEPTAGLE CONTAINER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application filed July 3,1905. Serial No. 268,242.

ments in Garbagedleceptacle Containers, of which thefollowingis a specification.

This invention relates to receptacles for garbage, which term is intended to include wastematter of various kinds, and not only household refuse but also sweepings of streets, platforms, etc., and other refuse matter. I

The class of garbage-holders to which my invention relates comprises a fixed container adapted to be placed in an opening in the ground or otherwise supported,

and a portable garbage-holder adapted to be inserted in the container, the -latter being provided with a hinged primary cover, which when open per'mitsthe insertion and removal of the gaibage'holder, the primary cover having an opening inclosed by a secondary cover, which when open permits refuse matter to be deposited in the holder without opening the primary cover. An apparatus of this character is shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 722,766, granted to me March 17, 1903.

The present invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,l"igure 1 represents a top plan view of a container embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a top plan View of another form of container embodying my invention. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a top plan view of another embodiment of my invention. Fig. 6 represents ascction on line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Figs. 7 and 8 represent sections on line 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 represents a top plan view, showing another embodiment of my invention. Fig. 10 represents a section on line 10-10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 represents a view similar to Fig. 1.0,showing a device for reducing the noise attending the closing of the secondary cover. Fig. 12 represents a view showing anothtr form of noise-diminishing device. Fig. 13 represents an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 10, and illustrating the operation of unlocking the primary cover.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

in the drawings-12 represents the body of the fixed 14 are connected by longitudinal rods 16, which are preferably located outside thebody 12, so that the interior of the body is not obstructed by said rods, and the body is therefore enabled to be made of maximum diameter, and to receive a garbage-holder of larger diameter than would be possible if the rods were located within the barrel, as shown in my former patent. The bottom member 14 is provided with an inwardly projecting flange or seat 17, which supports the garbageholder, said seat projecting inwardly from the rods 16.

.The top and bottom members 13 and 14 have flanges through which the rods 16 pass, said flanges having seats for the heads 19 and nuts 20 on the rods 16. Suitable means may be employed for locking the nuts 20 to prevent them from working loose.

21 represents the primary cover, which has a hinged connection with thetop member 13 of the container. Said connection as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises ears 22 formed on the top member 13, corresponding cars 23 formed on the primary cover, and hinge-pintles 24 connecting the two sets of ears. The form of the ears is such as to permit the location of the pintles 24 in substantially the same plane as the upper edge of the top member 13, said upper edge constituting the seat for the primary cover. By thus elevating the hingepintles, i am enabled to depress the container in the ground to such an e gtent that the surface of the ground .is nearly flush with the primary cover-seat, .without causing the surface soil to obstruct the opening and closing movements of the cover, particularly when the ground is frozen. This relative arrangement of the hingc-pintles and cover-seat is a feature of considerable importance, as it enables the cover to be freely opened and closed when the surrounding surface is frozen.

-The primary cover is provided with an opening 25 surrounded by a chute 26 which guides the garbage deposited in said opening into the holder 15.

27 represents the secondary cover, which is hinged to the primary cover at 28 and is formed to cover the opening 25. The hinge which connects the secondary cover to the primary cover is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as comprising cars 29 formed on the primary cover, cars 30 formed on the secondary cover, and hinge-pintles 28 connecting said ears. The said hinges are located at that edge of the secondary cover which is farthest from the hinges oi the primary cover, so that when the primary cover is raised, there will be no tendency of the secondary cover to swing abruptly outward from the primary cover when the latter reaches a vertical position, as would be the case if the hinges of the secondary cover were located at the edge of the cover nearest the hinges of the primary cover, as in my former patent.

31rep resents a handle formed on the central part of the swinging edge of the primary cover, said handle projecting from the circular margin of the primary cover, and recessed on its under side, as shown in Fig. 1, to permit its convenient engagement by the fingers of the operators hand, the form of the handle 31 being such as to prevent the accidental insertion of the operators fingers under the primary cover far enough to be caught and jammed between said cover and its seat.

To limit the opening movement of the primary cover, I attach to the latter a flexible stop 32, which is preferably a short chain attached at one end to an eye on the under side of the primary cover, at one side of the chute. The top member 13 of the container is provided with an eye or guide 33, through which the chain 32 is adapted to slide. The chain has an enlargement 34 at its lower end, which abuts against the lower end of the guide 33 when the cover has been sufficiently raised, and thus prevents further raising or opening movement of the cover. The enlargement 34 is preferably the upper end of a weight, which when the cover is being lowered causes the chain to slide downward through the guide 33, and thus takes up the slack of the chain.

In Figs. 3 and 4, I show the ears 23 on the primary cover with upper surfaces which are'fiush with the upper surface of the cover and are .also flush with the upper surfaces of the ears 22 on the container. The

. said ears 22 are supplemented by ears 220 on the opposite sides of the cars 23, the ears 22 and 220 being connected. by webs 221. The said ears and webs form recesses or pockets for the cover-ears 23. The pintles 24 are located substantially in or slightly above the plane of the cover-seat, as in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In Figs. 3 and 4, I also.show the primary cover provided with a recess 35 communicating with the opening in said cover, the secondary cover being provided with a hinge member or ear 36 entering said recess. The upper surface of the secondary cover and of its hinge member 36 are flush with the upper surface of the primary cover. The ear 36 is connected with the sides of the recess 35 by a hinge-pintle 28, which is located below the upper surfaces of the primary and secondary covers. This construction provides a flat top which includes portions of the top member of the container, the primary cover, and the secondary cover, said top being free from projections or protuberances, so that if it is located in a lawn, a

lawn-mower may be run over it without contact with any of its parts.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I show a top, the members of which are flush, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In Figs. 5 and 6, however, I show the opening in the primary cover as of irregular form, said opening having a segmental-or arc-shaped edge 37 forming the end of the opening opposite that to-which the secondary cover is hinged.

The secondary cover is provided with a segmental outer end fitting the edge 37. The secondary cover is also provided at its ends with ears or wings 38 which project within the chute 26, and when the secondary cover is raised, constitute extensions of the chute, so that refuse matter may be swept into the opening in the secondary cover, across the segmental edge 37 and between the wings 38, which when the secondary cover is raised are at opposite ends of the said segmental edge. This construction provides an opening which is particularly well adapted to receive sweepings, by reason both of the curved form of the edge 37 and the wings on the cover 27: This is because, when the c0ver,27 is raised to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6, the broom or brush' used to sweep with may be moved toward and partially over the opening until said broom or brush strikes the edges of the wings 38. When the broom or brush strikes the edges of the wings 38, its middle portion will have passed sufficiently over the opening to remove all sweepings from the surface of the primary cover 21. In other words, the segmental or arc-shaped edge 37 of the opening permits the central portion of the broom or brush to carry all sweepings over said edge by the time said broom is stopped by ,the wings 38. To enable the ope ator-to conveniently hold the cover 27 in its raised position, I provide the cover with a dog or foothold 39, which is pivoted at 40 to an ear or flange on the cover 27, and occupies the inoperative position shown in Fig. 7 when the cover 27 is closed. When the cover 27 is raised, the dog 39 swings outwardly, as shown in Fig. 8, until it rests upon the primary cover 21, where it may be held by the operators foot so long as it is desired to keep the cover 27 open. When the operators foot is removed, the descent of the cover 27 forces the dog upwardly, to the position shown in Fig. 7. 42 represents a socket formed in the secondary cover 27, near the hinged end thereof, said socket being adapted to engage a rod or stick which maybe inserted in it, the stick being held in a vertical position by the socket when the covers are closed. The operator, by pressing the stick toward the hinges of the primary cover, may use the stick as a lever to open both covers simultaneously. By applying pressure to the rod in the opposite direction, or toward the hinges of the secondary cover, the stick may be used as a lever to open the secondarycover only. It will be seen thatthis method of opening the covers is made possible by the arrangement of the hinges of the secondary cover at the end farthest from the hinges of the pri-' mary cover.

In Figs. 9 and 10, I show a construction which is similar to that previously described, excepting that the sheet-metal body 12 of the container is omitted, and the rods 16 connecting the top and bottom members 13 and 14 are offset inwardly at their lower portion, to form centering guides for the garbage-holder 15, so that when the said holder is lowered to place, it is'properly centered upon its seat 14 by the lower end portions of the rods 16.

In Figs. 10 and 13, I show means for locking the primary cover in its closed position. Said locking means comprise a fixed locking member 43, which is preferably an internal shoulder formed on the top member 13 of the container, and a swinging locking member 44 pivoted at 45 to an ear on the swinging end of the primary cover 21. The swinging member 44 has a shoulder 450 adapted to automatically engage the shoulder 43 by gravitation when the cover is closed. The swinging member 44 is also provided with a projection 46 adapted to be engaged by a key 47 which is insertible in a keyhole 48 formed in the primary cover. When said key is inserted as shown in Fig. 13, it bears on the projection 46, and disengages the swinging member 44 from the fixed memberg43, thus permitting the primary cover to be opened. 480 represents a weighted dog, which is pivoted at 49 to the primary cover and is adapted to normally engage a notch 50 in the key 47, thus preventing the withdrawal of the key from the keyhole. The dog 48 is provided with an arm 51, which when the primary cover is closed bears on a fixed shoulder 52, thus preventing the dog 48 from entering the notch When, however, the primary cover has .been slightly raised, the dog enters the notch 50 by gravitation, and prevents the operator from withdrawing the key until the primary cover has been again closed. As before stated, the secondary cover is opened whenever the garbage is to be emptied into the holder Within container; consequently the openings of the secondary cover are liable to be quite frequent. Usually the cover is released andallowed to drop abruptly to its closed position, thus causing an objectionable noise. To obviate this objection, I provide means for cushioning the impact of the secondary cover against its seat. In Fig. ll, I show as cushioning means, a dash-pot 52 comprising a cylinder pivoted at 53 to the swinging end of the primary cover, a piston 54 fitting said cylinder and having its rodpivoted at 55 to an arm 56 afiixed to the hinged end of the secondary cover :27. When the secondary cover is raised, the piston is drawn outwardly, and the body of air accumulates between it and the inner end of the cylinder 52. This body of air acts as a cushion, and escapes slowly through a restricted outlet, while the secondary cover is closing, the secondary cover being thus caused to strike its seat without a noisy impact. In Fig. 12, I show for the same purpose, a continuous annular packing or buffer 58 of rubber or other suitable material applied to the secondary cover 27 in position to bear upon the cover-seat when the cover is closed.

I claim: i

1. A container .of the character stated, having a coversent, ears projecting from the body of the container, webs connecting said cars, said ears and-web constituting recesses at one side of the container, a cover having ears entering the recesses, and hinge-pintles connecting the ears of the container and cover, and located substantially in or somewhat above the plane of the cover-seat, the upper edges of the ears being flush with each other and with the top of the cover.

2. A container oi the character stated, having a coverscat, cars projecting outwardly from the body'of the container, :1 cover having cars coinciding with the ours on the container, the tops of the cover and ears being flush with each other, hingeplntlcs connecting said ears and located in or above the plane of the cover-seat, the cover having also an opening and a recess communicating therewith, and a secondary cover fitting the opening and having a hinge member located in said recess and connected with the sides thereof by a pintle, the tops oi the main cover and the secondary cover being flush.

3. A container having a primary cover hinged at one side 01 the container and provided with an opening surrounded by a downwardly projecting chute, said opening having a recessat the side opposite the primary coverhinge, and a secondary cover for said opening, having-a hinge member projecting into said recess and pivoted to the sides thereof, said hinge member being formed to abut against the chute and limit the opening of the secondary cover. I

4. A container of the character stated, having a hinged cover, a flexible stop member attached to the cover, and a rigid stop member attached to the container and formed as a guide for the flexible member, the latter having an enlm'gement to engage the guide, and a weight to cause the flexible member to move by gravitation through the guide.

5. A container having a mouth, a chute surrounding the mouth, and a cover for said mouth having wings at its ends which form extensions of the chutewhen the cover is raised.

6..A container having a mouth, and a cover for said mouth provided with a pivoted foothold adapted to be engaged by the operators foot to hold the cover open, said pivoted foothold being carried by a portion of the cover which lies below said mouth when closed.

7. A container having a mouth, and a movable cover provided with end wings movable in said month, one of said wings having a pivoted foothold or dog adapted to be held on the top of the container by the operator's foot to hold the secondary cover open.

8. A container having a hinged primary cover provided with an opening which is curved or arc-shaped at one edge,

a chute below said-opening, a secondary cover hinged to the primary cover and formed to fill the opening, and provided with wings at opposite ends of the arc-shaped edge of the opening, the said arc-shaped edge facilitating the entrance of sweepings into the opening between the wings.

. S). A container having a hinged primary cover provided with an opening, anda secondary cover for said opening hinged to ,the primary cover at a point opposite the hinge of the primary cover, the secondary cover having a socket adjacent'to its hinged edge for engaging an operating-rod, the arrangement of the hinges and socket being such that the operating-rod can be used to open the two covers simultaneously, or the secondary cover alone.

10. A container comprising top and bottom members, a sheet metal body engaged with the said membcrs'and rods connecting the end'members and located outside the material composing the body, whereby the interior of the body is left unobstructed for the reception of a garbage-receptacle.

11. A container comprising a top member having a hinged cover, a bottom member having an inwardly proiecting seat to support a garbage-receptacle, and rods connectlng the top and bottom members, the lower portions of the rods being offset inwardly to form centering guides for the garbage-receptacle.

presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses ,C. F, BROWN,

E. BATCHELDEE.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in 

